


Love Novels

by cathrheas



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Crack Treated Seriously, F/F, Fluff, Gay, Spoilers for Flayn and Seteth, Y'know., flayn is gay, only 2 female supports? who cares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-29 16:47:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20439257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathrheas/pseuds/cathrheas
Summary: Catherine, in Flayn’s opinion, was one of the goddess’ gifts to mankind. Certainly.





	Love Novels

**Author's Note:**

> flayn deserved more female supports. i hate this game

Flayn loved the monastery.

She loved every bit of it, from the architecture to the convenience of everything. The marketplace, the garden, the classes that Flayn used to peek into...the monastery was like a hub for everything anybody could have ever dreamed of. Did Flayn wish to leave the monastery sometimes and see the outside world? Sure, she did. Anybody would have, after being isolated like that. But the monastery provided enough that she’d never run away.

Especially the girls. Flayn couldn’t forget the girls.

It was an obsession she’d long since become accustomed to. Ever since she was a child, she could remember being constantly preoccupied with thoughts of lovely women, of all shapes and colors and sizes. Some kind, some mean. Some rowdy, some quiet. Really, all kinds. There were times where she wondered if this obsession came about because Seteth only allowed her the company of other girls, but she dismissed the thought very easily. The kind of love she held was one that had far outgrown silly circumstances.

Years passed, and students came and went from the monastery. Some went on to other paths, and Flayn never saw them again. Some became knights and Flayn would have the pleasure of seeing them almost every day when she went to the training grounds.

Some of them weren’t students at all.

There was one girl in particular—a fixture in the monastery—that Flayn could never take her eyes off of. She was dashing, confident, gallant, and gorgeous. She wielded a sword with such confidence and fury, but with a certain coolness, like she knew the battle would end in her favor.

Catherine, in Flayn’s opinion, was one of the goddess’ gifts to mankind. Certainly.

Flayn only allowed herself little tastes of Catherine’s presence. After all, it would certainly get suspicious if Flayn were to get caught lingering around her  _ too _ often. But as the new pool of students flooded in, Flayn found that Catherine had far outdone that year’s class. Sure, Dorothea had a beautiful voice, and Bernadetta looked absolutely huggable, and Annette was so sweet and clumsy...but Catherine? Nobody there was like Catherine.

Flayn was never shy about approaching her newest interest, mainly because she didn’t have to worry about Seteth mowing them down. It was really a wonder that Seteth hadn’t taken notice of Flayn’s...preferences, but Flayn wasn’t exactly surprised. He was probably just relieved that Flayn didn’t spend all of her time speaking to boys.

Without worry, Flayn wandered over to the training ground, hoping to find Catherine there. And, of course, she did; Catherine was sparring with Felix, Thunderbrand still sheathed. Even with a training sword, she could still hold her own. Flayn had no idea how long they’d been sparring, but moments after she arrived, Felix was at a disadvantage.

Flayn clapped for them both (but mostly Catherine) when they were finished. Catherine reached for a handshake, but Felix had no response. “Great work, you two!”

“Ugh. I better get out of here before Seteth castrates me,” Felix scoffed.

“That’s not very accurate,” Flayn said.

“Trust me. It’s accurate,” Felix shot back. He left abruptly, leaving Catherine and Flayn by themselves.

That was fine by Flayn. “Catherine! I must admit, I was seeking you out.”

“Really? Ain’t that sweet,” Catherine said, grinning. “What can I do for you? Is Seteth looking for me?”

“No, no...not as far as I know. Just me.”

“I’m always glad to see you, Flayn.” There was just enough emphasis on the word “you” to make Flayn’s heart race. “Need a fishing buddy?”

Flayn considered her next response carefully, but not for too long. Eventually, she said, “Yes, actually! Would you be willing to come along?”

Catherine had hardly broken a sweat from her training session. Flayn had almost wished she did. It wasn’t like she liked sweaty girls in particular, but there was something invigorating about seeing a girl looking so wound up. “Sure thing. Let’s catch some big ones today!”

* * *

Catherine was the kind of girl that kind of swallowed you up. There were some girls that left Flayn with fleeting thoughts, ones that just took over her thoughts every now and then. Then there were girls like Catherine, who took hold of your mind and wouldn’t let it go.

Flayn was glad to be in Byleth’s class, but...how on Earth was she supposed to do work when there were women like Catherine walking around? It simply wasn’t fair. Every time Flayn put her pen to paper, she’d write one or two words before her thoughts started drifting back to Catherine. Her golden hair, her glowing eyes, that cocky way she held her sword. Oh, how Flayn wanted to speak to her! Even if they were just exchanging pleasantries in a hallway. The essay for Byleth’s class could wait. Flayn had other things to write.

_ Dear Catherine, _

_ How my heart races! I’m only thinking of you, and yet, I can’t help but feel lightheaded! It’s almost as if you’ve casted a spell on me. The most painful part of it all—and these feelings are all so very strong—is that you know so well what you’ve done to me! You’re so confident, as if you know that you capture the heart of every living thing in this monastery!  _

_ When we were fishing today, you taught me some things about how to hold my rod. Even the things I already knew seemed brand new when you spoke them to me. Once, you placed your hand over mine to position it...even through your glove, I felt how warm your fingers were! Please, won’t you look my way just one more time...? _

Flayn reread her words. She wouldn’t be sending it out any time soon, but...well, she wanted her emotions to be clear. She rewrote some words, scratched out a couple of things, and added twelve more paragraphs.

If only she could put that much concentration into her school work.

* * *

Fortunately, the essay did get done. She was up so late that it became scribble at some point, but it was...readable, probably. The next day, in class, Flayn handed the papers in and then sat in the back and tried to fall asleep in a not-obvious position (although Mercedes didn’t notice that she was falling asleep on purpose and woke her up several times).

It felt like class was over in the blink of an eye, but it turned out she was simply asleep for most of it. She woke up feeling groggy, looking around the room and noticing that she was the only one there except for Byleth.

“Flayn, I think we need to have a little talk.”

“Professor,” she said, flushing. “Um...I can explain. I’m so very sorry. There was...a noise in my room! It was keeping me up all night, so I was really tired, and I couldn’t help it.”

“Er...what are you talking about, Flayn?” Byleth seemed just as confused and disoriented as Flayn did. “Wait. Were you sleeping in class? Come up here for a moment.” Flayn approached the front of the classroom, blushing profusely. Seteth would be horrified to hear of bad habits like that. “I wasn’t asking you about you sleeping in class, you know...”

“...O-oh.” Flayn was embarrassed when she thought about how she’d exposed herself, then afraid when she thought about what else Byleth could possibly have wanted from her. “Um, what did you want to talk about, then?”

“I noticed that your essay on sword tactics was, um...very detailed,” Byleth began. She was holding the essay in her hand; Flayn could spot that tired scribble anywhere. Byleth looked at it with uncertainty, then back up at Flayn. “You mentioned Catherine a lot...”

“Well, she’s most likely the best swordswoman in the entirety of the Church, and therefore provides a great example! That’s all.”

“Yes, Flayn, but—um, well, you see—this is very hard for me to discuss,” Byleth said. “But the bottom line is...Flayn, if you like girls, that’s perfectly fine. But in the future, please refrain from submitting such, um, unabashed praise as essays.”

Oh.

_ Oh. _

Flayn reached out for the essay with a shaky hand, and Byleth handed it over. The top few pages were about sword handling and such, but as the pages went on, Flayn noticed that she’d gotten...a little poetic. “Proper sword handling” turned into “the very attractive swing of the most beautifully muscled Knight of Seiros”. And to top it all off, the very last pages were the love letter that had started it all off.

Flayn exhaled deeply. Byleth looked very much like she wanted to disappear. Flayn could relate. 

Flayn removed the majority of the incriminating papers from the stack, then handed the rest back to Byleth. Byleth took it with a curt nod. 

“Um, Professor?”

“Yes?”

“...Please don’t tell Seteth this happened.”

* * *

The day dragged on. Flayn attended a few seminars, none of which were Catherine’s. The sleep depravity left her with a headache that set on in the early afternoon. Flayn wanted to go to her room and sleep the day away, but then Seteth would want to know what was wrong, and she’d have to admit that she was up late, then there would be the question of  _ why... _

It was just one day. She could stick it out. Besides, Catherine was the type who undoubtedly admired strong women. Flayn knew she didn’t really have a chance, but...didn’t hurt to try. Flayn toughed it out with a gentle smile on her face, then returned to her room and dropped to her bed like a sack of stones. She hadn’t felt that tired since the kidnapping. But when the kidnapping happened, she wasn’t in love. Feelings are different, when you’re in love. Even exhaustion is euphoric.

Or, it usually is, when your bothersome father isn’t coming to check in on you.

Flayn heard the knock on her door and recognized it as Seteth’s almost immediately. Only he knocked so...gently. Only on her door, of course.

“Come in,” she called, sitting up in her bed. She was just about to doze off...

Seteth opened the door, looking nervously kind. “Good evening, Flayn.”

“Hello, Brother.” The door was too open for her to be truthful about their relationship, but she’d gotten into the habit of calling him “brother” very easily, anyway. “What brings you here so late?”

“It’s only seven,” he said sternly. He sat at her bedside, drumming his fingers on his thighs. Flayn prepared for whatever speech she was about to get. “Flayn, I...I spoke to Byleth today. She told me to check on you. Have you been sleeping properly?”

_ Oh, no... _ “Y-yes, I have. Why?”

“She claimed you fell asleep in her lecture...which is  _ highly _ inappropriate, I may add.” Flayn shrank a little bit. “There is no need to lie to me. If you are having trouble sleeping, I would be glad to find a remedy for you.”

“There’s no remedy,” Flayn said, without thinking. Seteth raised his eyebrows. “I mean...it’s in my head, the reason why I am unable to sleep. So there is no helping it.”

“In your head? You are having worries?”

Flayn glanced at the cursed love letters she’d written and submitted to Byleth. They were sitting on her desk, not quite discarded. “Somewhat. But...worries of the good sort.”

“I’ve never heard of that sort.”

“Father,” Flayn said, low enough for it to not be risky, “I have something I need to tell you. But only because I can’t tell anybody else.”

Seteth chuckled weakly. “You can tell me things even if there  _ is  _ someone else to tell, you know.”

Flayn ignored him, forging on. She shut her eyes. Oh, how she wished she was sleeping...how she wished Catherine were there to hold her tight and give her courage. If Catherine were there, she’d just come right out with it. No filler, no small talk. Just boldness. Flayn opened her eyes again, giving Seteth the steeliest glare she could manage. Then, she said it.

“I’m in love.”

Seteth turned as white as a sheet. The disbelief on his face was immeasurable. Plainly, he repeated, “In love.”

“Yes.”

“With...with another person.”

“Yes.”

“A boy.”

“Yes. W-well, no. No, that’s not it.”

“A...a  _ man, _ rather?”

“No! Father, it’s...it’s Catherine!”

“Oh, Goddess, help me,” Seteth blurted out. He jumped to his feet, pacing around the room. His head was in his hands, as if it were too heavy for his neck to hold. “Flayn, this is not funny! Who...who taught you a jest this cruel?!”

“It’s no jest, Father,” Flayn said. She wanted to stand, too, but her legs were too weak. “I-I’ve felt this way for a long, long time! I’ve always fancied girls, and I don’t think I can change it, so—”

“You don’t have to change it,” Seteth said, almost immediately. “I understand that some women prefer other women. Is it rare? Yes, perhaps. But not unheard of. And certainly not condemned by the Church. You know that as well as I do.”

Flayn blinked. “Well, then...why are you upset?”

“Catherine! Catherine? Of all people? She’s brash, borderline idiotic, and...just animalistic! Flayn, I hope you know that you liking women does not mean I will abandon my standards for you.”

“She’s not the only girl I’ve fancied, she’s just the most recent,” Flayn said. Seteth looked at her, appalled. She tried to think of someone Seteth would appreciate, but...that’s a very hard person to come by, outside of her and Rhea. “Oh! Petra! I think she’s—”

“Absolutely not. She’s from a foreign country. Should she ever choose to marry you, you’d have to move far away. Not allowed.”

“No? W-well, okay then, that was a while ago, anyway,” Flayn said quickly. “There’s also the Professor!”

“She doesn’t even know her own age!”

“Okay, then...Bernadetta!”

“When is the last time she’s left her room?”

“Hilda is very sweet.”

“Oh, don’t get me started.”

“Well, then I will continue to fancy Catherine.”

“There are much better options,” Seteth said.

“Oh? Please enlighten me.”

“Mercedes, for one. She’s dedicated to the Goddess, she’s mindful...perhaps a bit spacey, but she is caring, and will most definitely protect you,” Seteth said. He seemed rather proud of himself for coming up with the idea.

“She’s friendly,” Flayn said. “But that is where my opinion stops.”

“Flayn, you nearly named every female in the monastery, but you have no interest in the one person I  _ may  _ approve of?”

“Father, I cannot choose who I love!”

“Can you  _ attempt _ to choose Mercedes?”

“If you think her so great, then I would gladly support you taking her hand in marriage. Until then, I will continue to fancy Catherine,” Flayn repeated.

Seteth huffed. “Very funny, Flayn. Well, this ‘love’ you have will only last so long. Worry not. I will find a suitable woman to meet your needs. I...am a bit disappointed that I wasted so many years looking for a male, but that is nothing I can change now. I need only to change my direction. Until then, the rules have changed: you may not speak to any females either, unless I have screened them. Thoroughly. Otherwise, they may break your heart.”

“I may speak to boys, now, then?”

“No.”

“Then...who do I speak to?!”

Seteth sighed heavily. As if the question were so hard. “That...will be determined at a later date.”

* * *

Screening! As if someone like Catherine needed screening. Flayn  _ was _ starting to notice how soft and gorgeous Mercedes’ hair looked, but that didn’t take away from the fact that Catherine was a bombshell.

The very next day, after Flayn was certain Seteth wasn’t surveilling her, Flayn went over to the training grounds. Catherine was training there, alone. And the way her shirt kept riding up her hips when she swung her blade...whew. Flayn and Seteth definitely had different standards.

Flayn tried to avert her eyes; she was still a pure young maiden. She couldn’t stare  _ too _ long. As soon as Flayn managed to tear her eyes away, though, Catherine called her name. How enchanting, the way she said it. Flayn made a note to herself to write a poem about the lovely sound of Catherine’s voice...

“Hey, Flayn! Can you hear me, kiddo?”

Flayn started. “Oh! Hi, Catherine.” She came over, hands clasped nervously. “I was just coming to say hello.”

“You really are the politest little girl,” Catherine said. Flayn could disagree with “little girl”, but...whatever. “You’ve been coming by to find me pretty often, lately.”

“I-if I’m in the area, it doesn’t hurt to greet others!” Flayn was flustered very easily around girls like Catherine, who were so bold and forward. Flayn, at times, preferred the shy girls who she could lead around just a little bit...instead, she was being led.

Catherine set her practice sword down on the dirt of the training grounds, then folded her arms. “By the way, Seteth had a little chat with me earlier today. Right before you came over here.”

Flayn paused. “Well,” she began slowly, “that...is excellent. I am glad you two get along. Say, Catherine, how would you like to go fishing again today?”

“Oh, no no no, Flayn. Not so fast,” Catherine said. She tousled Flayn’s hair with her gloved hand, then put it on her hip. “I think Seteth has gotten a few  _ ideas _ in mind about you and me. Any clue where they might have came from?”

Catherine was good-natured as always, but Flayn could see it in her eyes. Her pitying eyes. Flayn was petrified. In all her years of chasing after girls, Flayn had never been rejected by one. Sure, she expected it, since many of the monastery girls saw her as a child, but...this one was going to sting. “Um...n-no,” she lied. “I...don’t kn-know.”

For a few moments, Catherine gave Flayn an incredulous look. Then, she laughed. “Alright, kid. Don’t worry about it, then. He was probably just doing his usual nonsense routine, now that I think about it. How about that fishing, then?”

Flayn smiled, then exhaled in relief as soon as Catherine turned her back. Seteth was so troublesome, but at the very least, she still had Catherine to hold onto for a few more weeks. She wasn’t sure if Catherine really  _ didn’t _ know what Seteth was implying, or if she’d chosen to ignore it to save Flayn’s sanity.

Flayn prayed it was the latter. Of course, someone so gallant and righteous as Catherine would do something like that.

* * *

“Seteth? Are you feeling alright?”

“No,” he replied, deep and sullen. Then, quickly, he adjusted himself. “I mean, yes, Lady Rhea. I am doing fine. Thank you.”

Rhea walked deeper into his office, until she was right in front of his desk. “You have been very inattentive these past few days. I can’t help but wonder if something is wrong. Is it Flayn?”

Seteth sighed deeply, massaging the worry lines in his forehead. “It always is.”

“Whatever is the matter now?”

“Flayn has become taken with one of the Knights,” Seteth said. “Catherine, to be precise.”

Rhea nodded sagely, but still seemed surprised. “A female knight...I hadn’t expected that, if I am being honest.”

“Neither had I. Especially not  _ Catherine. _ Last I saw, they were fishing together every day! If Catherine reciprocates something like this, Rhea, I...”

“Worry not, Seteth.” Rhea placed a hand on Seteth’s shoulder, but not even that could calm him. “I have some news that might put you at ease. I had thought nothing of it before, but knowing what I do now, it makes sense. I do not think Flayn’s interest lies with Catherine anymore, based off of what I’ve seen.”

Seteth perked up quickly, his face melting in relief. “Oh, thank goodness. But, I must ask...who is it now?”

“Oh, she’s made a very good decision, indeed,” Rhea said. “She seems to be taken with Professor Manuela at the moment.”

Seteth promptly fainted.


End file.
